Just £20 can provide a small business loan for a struggling household in Uganda.

In each area, the most needy households are identified and invited to attend a series of training workshops. These include savings workshops, small business training sessions and opportunities to form self help groups.

The saving workshops have been newly introduced as the new area’s needs are so great. The workshops introduce the benefits of saving and give hints and tips on how to put money aside, even through times of financial stress. Each person attending has a trial period of demonstrating they can save money and budget, before they are given their first loan.

Small business training workshops give prospective owners the chance to learn about the principles of a successful business and how to use their new income in the best way in order to grown their trade further.

The self help groups are facilitated to allow people to work together, support each other and develop funds to help in difficult times. They all contribute to a health fund which protects members in times of sickness, and also a social fund which supports members in other potential troubles (like the loss of a relative). Over time, members re-pay the money lent to them so the fund is available for the next person.

The new communities have 20 loans currently running in each area. Each loan is worth about £20, has sparked a new business and changed the lives of each household. Many and various businesses are blossoming throughout each community including mat making, silver fish selling, cooking, charcoal selling, fruit and vegetable stalls and hut renovation.

Babra is our social worker at Children on the Edge Africa, she says “These loans can give people a new start. One lady had been trapped in prostitution for a long time. I talked with her regularly for over a year about how the loan scheme could help her start an new life, but she was reluctant. She didn’t believe she could do it, but she was so unhappy. This year she started out on the scheme. Already she has a successful business selling ground nuts and plastering people’s homes! She is free and is now able to send her three children to school. When she sees me, she throws her arms around me with happiness.”

This number of loans given in Masese III will double soon as many of the Karamajong people that live here have a natural talent for business and are responding particularly well to the scheme. This is especially good news here, as the community had become reliant on a charitable organisation that gave food handouts, when the charity left, people here had no income or means of feeding their children. The education loans are now giving them sustainable means to earn, feed their children and send them to school. Masese II is still running the education loan scheme and currently have 46 households starting up businesses.

​It costs just £20 to provide a small business loan for a struggling household. The slideshow below shows some of the different businesses these loans have made possible. If you would like to donate £20 to start a new business and enable children to go to school, just click the button below. ​

Each year on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day encourages us all to forge a better working and more gender inclusive world.

Children on the Edge works with local partners to restore the ingredients of a full childhood to some of the most vulnerable children worldwide. A big part of this is working towards equality in opportunities and an end to discrimination for the girls we work with.

The theme for the 2017 International Women's Day is #BeBoldForChange and we are privileged to be partnering with a number of truly inspirational women, who constantly use boldness and strength to bring about change for women and girls in their communities.

​Winnie Biira is the Finance, Human Resource and Policy Director at Children on the Edge Africa, in Jinja, Uganda. She ensures that organisation’s systems and resources are efficiently and effectively utilised to increase its capacity and meet its goals. She also inputs into the facilitation of our education loan scheme. We interviewed Winnie about what inspires her to be bold in creating change, what changes are possible, and how she overcomes obstacles and barriers in her work.

1. Can you describe why you first wanted to do this work?The work I am doing is my area of study. I had 10 years experience before extending my services to Children on The Edge. I first wanted to do this work with Children on the Edge Africa in order to help those in need, those that have been deprived of their rights by corrupt people.

I felt I was given an opportunity to honestly deliver services to those who need them most. I deeply love children with all my heart and do not want to see them get hurt. With my work, I was positive that I would ensure that the right resources are delivered to the right beneficiaries and I would take pride in that. I did not care what others felt as long as the needy have got what they deserve.

I felt I could use my skills to streamline the accounting and finance systems. I can put policies in place to reduce stress when it comes to implementation and make sure there is no room for manipulation.

2. Have there been things that have happened in your life that have inspired you to do the work you do now?A number of things have happened in my life that have inspired me to do the work I do now. The work I do was my dream career since childhood. I grew up in an environment where I was surrounded by companies, and I very much wanted to be a banker and count money since my father was the regional postal superintendent. He used to count money and he taught us how to do it! The women that were working in those companies were always smart and that inspired me a lot to study hard, work in these kinds of offices and to be as smart as they were!

When I visited the work we do with Children on The Edge, I was touched by the way people live and survive. I felt I should work even harder to help them live a decent life, firstly by letting them know their rights and then to fight for them boldly by building their confidence and self-esteem. I ensure that these communities receive the resources they need so they can earn a better living and be happy.

Another inspiration was the systems put in place by Children on the Edge. They are an equal opportunities employer, considerate, they are kind and care deeply for their employees. Salaries are paid on time and policies are straight forward and friendly.

3. Have there been barriers you have had to overcome to achieve what you are doing now and barriers in the present? If so, how did you do you overcome them?

I am fortunate and have not experienced any barriers in what I am doing now. Children on the Edge has provided what is required to get work done and my family supports me to move on with my work well.

4. Are there any situations in your work that are made particularly difficult or in some cases easier because you are a woman?

I have not gone through difficult situations because I am a woman, instead I have had easier situations. At one point I had two children, one after the other in a short period of time, and I got so worried! Children on the Edge was there for me though. I was given maternity leave, all the support that I required and they kept telling me that children are a gift that they bring happiness and joy to the family.

5. What are some of the hardest moments you have experienced in what you do?

Handling finance, human resources and policies is a sensitive task that requires boldness and honesty. Integrity is important to me and important for our work, so I have had to be so strict to ensure things are done the right way. As a result, some people have referred to me as “THAT WOMAN!!”.

In my life, sometimes I have to blow the whistle and terminate employee contracts. This is not an easy task given the fact that they also have families that depend on them. I have to think about the best interests of the children. However, this does not discourage me, it rather strengthens my work knowing that I am being bold to bring change to the world without fear.

6. What are some of the happiest/most inspiring moments you have experienced with what you do?​The happiest moments I have experienced is when there is a positive change in the communities we reach out to. For example when we give out education loans I then get to see the community women busy with their businesses, with their livelihoods improved. I see the children who were home can now access school, they are healthier and there is a reduction in child abuse cases. Those are the moments when I feel I am great because I have honestly given them what is theirs and ensured it is of maximum benefit. Other moments are when all the staff have worked hard and when I am issuing pay cheques at end of month I see smiles on their faces. This is a happy time for me too as I am assured of covering the needs of my family. I also love to feel I have accomplished my work well when I look at our financial reports each quarter.

7. What change would you like to bring through your work and for the people you work with?Through my work, I would love to see the communities we serve improve their livelihoods and take responsibility for their rights and those of their children. This can be done if I ensure that the organisation’s financial and other resources are effectively and efficiently utilised.

8. Can you describe any ways that the women and girls you work with have changed, or overcome obstacles in the time you have been working with them?

Women and girls have overcome many obstacles and changed in the time I have been working with them. Through the education fund loans, women have seen their children go to school, they are improving their livelihoods and have seen their children become healthy as a result. The women and girls have become aware of their rights and have built up their self esteem and confidence to the point that they are bold enough to report domestic violence cases and child abuse cases to the authorities. This boldness I am certain will bring change to the communities and the world at large.9. Are there situations where you have had to be brave or bold to bring about change? How do you overcome your fears?

Yes, there are a number of cases where I have been bold and stood by my decisions for the good of the organisation, my family and the communities we work with. My faith has helped me overcome my fears and also the simple knowledge that I am doing my job to the best of my ability and it is my duty to protect the organisation’s resources.

10. What would you say to encourage women who would like to make a difference in the world?

Women should be bold and stand up to protect their rights in order to bring change to this world. They should defend themselves without fear for they are the world’s backbone, without which it cannot stand.

Each year on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day encourages us all to forge a better working and more gender inclusive world.

Children on the Edge works with local partners to restore the ingredients of a full childhood to some of the most vulnerable children worldwide. A big part of this is working towards equality in opportunities and an end to discrimination for the girls we work with.

The theme for the 2017 International Women's Day is #BeBoldForChange and we are privileged to be partnering with a number of truly inspirational women, who constantly use boldness and strength to bring about change for women and girls in their communities.

Nuna Matar is the Director of Triumphant Mercy , the Lebanese NGO we partner with to provide education for 500 Syrian refugee children in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. We interviewed Nuna about what inspires her to be bold in creating change, what changes are possible, and how she overcomes obstacles and barriers in her work.

1. Can you describe why you first wanted to help Syrian refugees in your community?

We started the NGO in 2006 and then started working with refugees in January 2013. I guess I would call it a nudge in the spirit to reach out to the refugees in our area. It wasn’t work I particularly desired, but more of a compelling call from within to go ahead and do something and bring a change.

2. Have there been things that have happened in your life that have inspired you to do the work you do now?

I lost my parents when I was young. My mother died when I was 10 due to sickness and my father was shot during the Lebanon civil war by a sniper when I was 15. I know what it is like to live in pain or in need. I look at people as people who are in need and my response when I see a need is to do something. With the refugees it was initially hard for me to even consider reaching out to Syrian people. Because of our country’s history, they would naturally be my enemies. Syria had occupied Lebanon for years and had really mistreated the Lebanese people. At the end of the day though people are people, and when we look at individuals as human beings, not as a race or ethnic group, when we encounter their misery, look at their trauma and understand their fears, this completely changes our perspective.3. Have there been barriers you have had to overcome to achieve what you are doing now? If so, how did you overcome them?

A big barrier has been the lack of resources and expertise. When we started we were just a church humanitarian branch with no structure and no system, but then we moved to become a separate organisation. Still we didn’t have many resources and we started out simply going out playing with refugee children, taking a football or beads.

We were seeing so much need but at the time we couldn’t do much about it as we didn’t have a structure in place, didn’t know any of the NGO requirements and policies, so I had to have an accelerated learning program ‘on the job’, learning in few weeks what it takes years of university to learn.

I learned by trial and error how to open a school for refugees in the camps , I learned things ranging from building a tent with my own hands, to coordinating with other NGOs working in the area, to dealing with camp leaders, to understanding a culture that is so different than mine. Deciding to have Syrian teachers was the right thing to do, but it is a challenge! Now we have four schools running and a community centre. We have about 500 children that we are educating and a growing number of adults that are taking language classes with us.

The most difficult thing is prioritising the urgent versus the important. It is always a hard thing to dismiss immediate needs, so ensuring sustainability can be hard . Funders tend to think in terms of years or nice neat projects so it’s always a challenge to know who will stay by your side for the next phase. Designing an exit strategy is hard in a protracted emergency! We just keep planning, we keep people motivated, and we don’t lose sight of our goal.​4. Are there any situations in your work that are made either harder or easier because you are a woman?

I live in a society that looks down on women, yet I am a camp leader (about 47 tents with 400 people), the head of four refugee schools in informal camps and the manager of a community centre in Beirut. Doing all these things in a culture that has a strong middle eastern view that women are inferior is a challenge. I have to deal with angry men, take hard decisions and many times have a very tough attitude.

In the Syrian community, and especially in camps where we work, most people are illiterate. The women’s roles are just to get married when they’re 16 or 17 and have children. It is a disgrace for women if they don’t have lots of babies. So women are not part of decision making, or any leadership. I have to get the balance between really being tough, whilst at the same time trying to show compassion, this is a very difficult combination as a woman.

On the other hand, as a woman I can easily build relationships with women. As a camp leader, I have to deal with men a lot, but I have the advantage of also being able to work with women. Usually a male camp leader can only deal with men. All our school principals and most of our teachers are women and they find it easier to talk to me as a woman. I think I am in inspiration to them. As they see me do what I do, they get the boldness to step up into their own roles.

5. What are some of the hardest moments you have experienced in what you do?

Becoming independent! As an NGO leader I began this work as an implementing partner for international NGOs. This was quite convenient as we didn’t have to worry about salaries, rent etc, but when the program ended and a new phase of being an independent NGO came, there were hard decisions to make. I had to decide who to keep, how to sustain the work, what to do next, and basically know in my guts how to lead the ship. Previously I had projects predesigned but I needed to start designing my own projects.6. What are the most inspiring or happy moments you have experienced with what you do?

The happiest thing is when I am able to be an instrument of change. Seeing people with restored hope, being able to help people envision a brighter future, seeing people smile and bringing back childhood to children is really rewarding.

Now I look at the schools and our community centre where we have about 500 children learning and I see the children happy to be there. They are feeling safe and secure, and looking forward to being in classrooms. I also look at the Syrian teachers we have employed (about 24 teachers) and I am very proud of what we have achieved for them. Some of them have only made it to high school and never worked in their life, they wouldn’t have got these opportunities as women. Now they feel useful, they are eager to learn more and I feel we are resourcing them for a new life.7. What change would you like to bring in your community and the people you work with?

Hope and vision. There is always a tomorrow. Hope keeps us looking for a brighter future. I seek to bring hope into the lives of people, because once they know things can change, hope can inspire them for both their todays and their tomorrows.

8. Can you describe any ways in which the women and girls you work with have changed, or overcome obstacles?

Many of the women and girls I work with are being brave enough to take new opportunities, to learn and to do things they are not expected to be able to do as a woman. It’s like learning to jump in the water. Sometimes I have to push them in the water and see if they learn how to swim. Sometimes they need rescuing and sometimes they do great. I try to share with them as much as possible about the projects, so they can participate, be part of the process and be able to give their input. I make sure to give them new challenges and new responsibilities not only to take things off my shoulders but also so that they own the projects for themselves.

9. Are there situations where you have had to be brave or bold to bring about change? How do you overcome your fears?

Definitely, nearly every day! I call them steps of faith! Every new project, every new employee hired, every step is a step of faith. When I have fears, I seek trustworthy people who can be holding my hands in battle. I seek to surround myself with people who can counsel me and speak wisdom into my life. By working with others I can look at a situation and say ‘we can overcome it’.

10. What would you say to encourage women who would like to make a difference in the world?

Don’t be afraid to step up! When you have a dream in your heart believe that the one who put this dream in your heart is able to perform it through you! You will make mistakes but don’t give up!​Every woman is an agent of change. We can design our world so don’t be afraid to dream!

Each year on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day encourages us all to forge a more gender inclusive, better working world.

Children on the Edge works with local partners to restore the ingredients of a full childhood to some of the most vulnerable children worldwide. A big part of this is working towards equality in opportunities and an end to discrimination for the women and girls we work with.

The theme for the 2017 International Women's Day is #BeBoldForChange and we are privileged to be partnering with a number of truly inspirational women, who use boldness and strength to bring about change for women and girls in their communities.

It’s because my passion is helping vulnerable people change to a better life, especially children and single mothers.

2. Have there been things that have happened in your life that have inspired you to do the work you do now?

Yes. I went through a lot of hardships in all the 11 years I was married, until finally my husband abandoned me and my two children. I had no job at that moment. After some time of suffering, my elder sister offered to take care of the children and advised me to look for a job. It wasn’t easy for me because I had dropped out of school after completing senior year four.

After a while a friend directed me to the Jinja Social Services office.There I met Mary (the officer in charge) who found me a sponsor and I joined the Jinja branch of YMCA and studied social development. Immediately after completing my certificate, Mary employed me in her NGO as a community worker and I used the salary to pay to do a diploma in social development.

That is the reason why I like helping other women to change their lives, because I am what I am today because I was also helped by someone. My children are at school and I have a better job because of that support I was given when I was vulnerable.

3. Have there been barriers you have had to overcome to achieve what you are doing now and barriers in the present? If so, how did you do you overcome them?

The barriers I had in life at that difficult time were that I didn’t have any qualifications and I had a family to look after. However, because I did not just sit and cry, I managed to find a person who directed me to where their was the right opportunity and I also had the support of my sister, which gave me courage to go on. I don’t find any barriers now.

4. Are there any situations in your work that are made particularly difficult or in some cases easier because you are a woman?

I have not encountered any difficulties yet, but what helps my work is that most of the women in the communities where I work are single parents, so it gives me strength to help them change their standards of living. Because I have changed my life despite being a single mother, I know they can too, so they are encouraged and given hope.

5. What are some of the hardest moments you have experienced in what you do?

When I come across a single mother with many children who has no employment, who ends up sending children to do petty jobs to find something to eat, I find it hard as I cannot stop them immediately. At this stage they have to eat, and I cannot feed the family. It is a slow process, and especially hard if the mother refuses to take the education fund loan because she worries she will not manage it due to her many responsibilities.

I also find it hard when a child completes their education at the Early Childhood Development Centre and the parent can’t pay for their primary education, maybe because she has no job or because she is bed ridden. This is how the education loans will help.

6. What are some of the happiest/most inspiring moments you have experienced with what you do?

​The happiest moments are when I make follow-up visits and find a client who was depressed, that is now happy with her children. For instance when we identify a mother who has been abandoned by her husband, with all her children out of school and then through my work I can help to find her happiness, this tells me a positive story about her life.

7. What change would you like to bring through your work and for the people you work with?

I am looking forward to seeing empowered women who know their rights and can support their families, they will not be sitting back and crying all the time, thinking that they cannot do anything because they are women.

8. Can you describe any ways that the women and girls you work with have changed, or overcome obstacles in the time you have been working with them?

For the 15 years I have worked as a social worker, I have been talking to young girls especially young mothers, encouraging them not to think that giving birth is the end of everything. In those talks, I help them identify what they can learn (a skill) or do to earn a living, and also talk about how to be good mothers to their children. Through that, those who follow my words have gone into work like tailoring and hair dressing, all of which helps them to create an independent income and take care of their children.

Because sewing machines are expensive here in Uganda, I bought three machines which I lend to mothers who have completed their training and cannot afford a machine to use. The mother then buys the machine, by paying in instalments and I use the money to buy machines for other women.

I am also glad that Children on the Edge introduced the education fund scheme which helps mothers to start up businesses and gives training on small business management. This helps them provide for the basic needs of their families.

For battered women, I link them to different public offices which support women in need and train them on their rights. I know they can stand up for their rights if they are properly empowered.

9. Are there situations where you have had to be brave or bold to bring about change? How do you overcome your fears?

I have to be bold when dealing with husbands who violate the rights of their wives and children, it is not easy to interfere in other people’s homes. I stand firm because I know that domestic violence and child neglect are crimes punishable by law. I do everything knowing I am protected by the different public sectors which protect women and children like the police child and family protection unit, probation and the social welfare office.

10. What would you say to encourage young or old women who would like to make a difference in the world?

​Women should know that they can do everything a man does to live a better life. They should always offer support of any kind to fellow women who need their help, regardless of what their situation may be, because this co-operation brings hope and changes lives.

Each year on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day encourages us all to forge a better working, more gender inclusive world.

Children on the Edge works with local partners to restore the ingredients of a full childhood to some of the most vulnerable children worldwide. A big part of this is working towards equality in opportunities and an end to discrimination for the girls we work with.

The theme for the 2017 International Women's Day is #BeBoldForChange and we are privileged to be partnering with a number of truly inspirational women, who constantly use boldness and strength to bring about change for the women and girls in their communities.

Sister Veena Jacob is the Director and Founder member of Navjeevan Educational and Social Welfare Centre (NESWC) who we partner with in Bihar State, India. Children on the Edge support them in their work to end discrimination against the Dalit people in Patna, through education and community action.

Sister Veena has been working with Dalit women in Bihar State for the last 11 years. We interviewed her about what inspires her to be bold in creating change, what changes are possible, and how she overcomes obstacles and barriers in her work.

1. Can you describe why you first wanted to work bringing change for women?

When I first came here, I was shocked to see married women who were not allowed out of their houses. I met women who were trapped inside for 14 - 15 years. These women have no freedom to meet other women and share their joys and sorrows. There is a lot of domestic violence and they suffer everything alone. I realised that women had no freedom and were considered as animals. I wanted to break the bonded life of these women. Seeing their struggle I realised the value of freedom and the meaning of freedom.

2. Have there been things that have happened in your life that have inspired you to do the work you do now?

My life was very peaceful, with loving, caring parents. I never struggled for anything. When I met people in Bihar for the first time it was a big challenge for me and I was shocked. Children were not educated. ‘Untouchable’ Dalit people were living in the villages where the caste system dominated. There was poverty, hunger and sickness, theft and homelessness, unemployment and bonded labour. I was so passionate to change the whole of Bihar.

I lived in the village with a Dalit family and lived like a Dalit, doing all the work done by them for three months. This changed and challenged my biases and prejudice. The experience inspired me to dedicate myself to working for their rights.

3. Have there been barriers you have had to overcome to achieve what you are doing now? If so, how did you overcome them?

Yes, there were many barriers. In the convent many sisters could not understand why I was working with these people. Many consider them as a problem and kept themselves away. Dalit women used to come running to the convent for advice on problems or help with sickness. In the end I had to fight to get the freedom to move out.

​The barriers I have in getting opportunities for women are overcome with education. Education transforms people. Information, finance and opportunity can change their lives.

4. Are there any situations in your work that are made particularly difficult or in some cases easier because you are a woman?

Entering into people’s lives is made easier for me because I am a women. Also, I can talk to men and women alike because I was a nun. People generally have certain respect for women in public places and offices.

5. What are some of the hardest moments you have experienced in what you do?

​The hardest moments are those where women seem helpless. I feel for women who live under domestic violence, but also all situations where they are not educated, do not have any skills or resources to support themselves and their family. The consequences of this can be awful. Women sell their children out of poverty, or can’t meet the basic needs of their children yet make them work and then live on those earnings.

6. What are some of the happiest/most inspiring moments you have experienced with what you do?

I love to see women and children growing in courage, taking bold steps and fighting for their rights in both family and society. When women are leading and taking decisions for their lives I feel very happy. You can see the confidence and self esteem on their faces. I feel very happy because, for them, hope is made alive.

7. What change would you like to bring through your work and for the people you work with?

I would like to see their self esteem and self image grow stronger. I want them to grow in a loving and caring atmosphere.

8. Can you describe any ways that the women and girls you work with have changed, or overcome obstacles in the time you have been working with them?

Women and girls believed that their situations couldn’t be changed but now, after working with them, they have begun to believe that if they are given the right opportunities, change is possible.

9. Are there situations where you have had to be brave or bold to bring about change? How do you overcome your fears?

In one Musahar Village there was a big fight and shooting for the whole night. One high caste man wanted to kill a Dalit Musahar who refused to work for the landlord. The Dalit man had decided to start a small business in Patna instead, selling fruits on the road side. He was beaten so badly that other Dalit people became frightened of the landlord. The whole village was planning to run away from their homes.

We came to know about the situation and went to village to meet with Dalit families and encourage them. We also had meeting with the high caste man and the landlord’s family. It was a risky, but I was bold and was able to negotiate change.

10. What would you say to encourage women who would like to make a difference in the world?Do not give up. Keep trying. Do not look at a door which is closed and stand still, but move and look for the doors which will open.

The work we support for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon has a specific focus on ensuring children can learn in their own culture and dialect. Children in the tent schools, set up in Bekaa Valley refugee settlements, are taught in Syrian Arabic by Syrian teachers. This is key to help them recover from trauma and to help them to re engage with learning, making education materials familiar and easy to understand.

Learning in mother tongue language facilitates access to education, while promoting fairness for population groups that speak minority or indigenous languages, in particular girls and women. It also raises the quality of education and learning by focussing on understanding and creativity, rather than on rote and memorisation.

Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. For the children we working with, continuing to learn in their own dialect with a Syrian curriculum is crucial to retaining a sense of self, and a knowledge of their own identity and history. As time passes in the camps the children can easily become disconnected to their home.

Schools Co-ordinator Nadine Morcos says “The teachers here speak the same dialect of Arabic as their students (often they're from the same or the neighbouring camp as the children), they get their culture, so nothing gets by them. The teachers are motivated to learn, motivated to be useful, and motivated to be a changing force in their communities.”

All the Syrian refugees we speak to in the camps say that all they want is to go home and to help rebuild their country. They see their situation as temporary, so having their children learning in Syrian dialect is the most logical solution for them. They want to ensure that their children are educated for their own future and wellbeing, but also with the hope that in the future they are able to help Syria to get back on its feet.

Today is World Day of Social Justice. In 2007, The UN General Assembly proclaimed 20 February as a day to promote social justice activities. The UN define social justice as an ‘underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations’.

They describe how ‘We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.’

Today Children on the Edge are promoting the work we support in Bihar State, India, helping Dalit communities to remove the barriers they face due to caste discrimination and fight for social justice. Despite the fact that discrimination based on caste was outlawed by India’s constitution in 1950, the practice of ‘untouchability’ still dictates the order of modern life for millions here. The caste system assigns individuals a certain status according to Hindu beliefs. Traditionally there are four castes (divided into thousands of sub-categories) and a fifth category of people who fall outside of the system - the Dalits.

The word Dalit translates as ‘oppressed’ or ‘broken’ and is generally used to refer to people who were once known as ‘untouchables’ because of the impurity connected with their traditional ‘outcaste’ occupations. The resulting persecution, discrimination and poverty leaves Dalit children extremely vulnerable.

Varsha Bela heads up the work of Parivartan Kendra (PK) in the rural Dalit communities of Vaishali District, Bihar. She describes the vision she has for her work as: “Bringing change in the lives of Dalit children through the transformation of communities on the edge”. In the urban area of Patna, Sister Veena and her organisation Narjeevan Educational and Social Welfare Society (NESWS) shares this vision and between them they facilitate 25 Community and Education Centres in the urban slums and rural villages.

The discrimination they are fighting in Bihar is very real. Veena describes the experiences of the Dalit community she works with; ‘In the village their houses are kept away from other houses, and in the city they are ghettoised. There are no toilets in their houses, or even a community toilet so they are forced to go in the open, on land they do not own, so they are chased away. There is a lack of clean drinking water facilities for the Dalits, in one slum 150 families use two hand pumps. The man next to this slum does not allow their water to flow through his land to the river, so the dirty water remains in the slum and creates sickness and filth. If I go with Dalit staff or friends to someone’s house they are nervous as they know they will not be welcomed in. They will not be be offered food or able to use the glasses or plates of other castes, if they touch these things, the owner will throw them away”.

The model our partners are working with to bring change has three components. First they set up Community Resource Centres, where Dalit people can join together and ‘feel the strength of their unity’. Through the establishment of women’s groups attached to each centre, people are trained about their entitlements and about the use of non-violent dialogue and actions to achieve their rights. They are also supported in a practical sense (i.e obtaining ID papers which qualify them for their entitlements, but are often missing and hard to access because of illiteracy, migration and landlessness).

As government primary schools are currently discriminating against Dalit children, the second component is to use the Community Resource Centres to facilitate education for children. Each afternoon, alongside basic maths, science and languages, 25 classes learn about many issues relating to caste discrimination, local governance, gender equality, human rights and self expression.

Varsha describes how “We teach children from the Dalit community that you have equal rights to any citizen in this country. We focus on the Indian Constitution which gives us fundamental rights and does not allow anyone to be treated according to their caste, class, religion, place of birth or sex. The implementation of the law is very poor though, and knowledge and use of it is very low due to lack of education. This is what we can change”.

Lastly comes action. In response to their training the community focus on realising their rights to a life with dignity, and all that entails. So far the women’s groups in the area, through peaceful protest and dialogue, have successfully fought for land rights, food entitlement, access to school and even the return of trafficked children.

Between them these two organisations are educating 800 Dalit children, who are beginning to realise their worth and be equipped to fight for the equal opportunities they deserve in the future. “This is a sustainable model of change” says Varsha, “it ensures Dalit children will get their rights in the future. If they grow up thinking they are nothing, then they will expect nothing in life. Education is the start of this change.”

​The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre we support in Loco, Uganda has been running for a few terms and the children have settled in well. Looking to the future for the current class, the team here facilitated a training day which focussed on ensuring the children’s smooth integration into government primary school.

The day consisted of training for both the teachers at the Centre and the teachers from the neighbouring primary school with which they are partnered. They worked together, looking at strategies for increasing retention and enrolment and effectively preparing young ones for the transition to primary.

Programme Director Edwin Wanabe said “We are giving the children a foundation so they are ready to integrate. The teachers at the ECD Centre are being trained in the primary curriculum so they have the knowledge to manage this transition and ensure the continuing education of the children when they finish their time at the Centre”.

Over the first few terms the ECD teachers have worked to identify which language is most commonly used amongst the new intake. After establishing that the main language used by the children in Loco is Lasuga, they spent some time throughout the day translating all the lessons into this language. They prepared staff in both the Centre and the primary school to be able to teach in this language for the majority of lessons and activities.

Finally, they all worked on creating educational resources out of local materials like sticks, stones and boxes. Using these materials is a low cost and sustainable way of creating a stock of colourful, child friendly resources for the next few terms.

A school management committee, overseen by Doreen from Children on the Edge Africa has been established to focus on the continuing partnership and integration between the ECD Centre and the primary school.

​A fun packed celebration day has recently been held at the Early Childhood Development Centre we support in Loco, Uganda. The day was focussed on showing all the parents just how far the children have come in this short time. It gave the children a chance to show off their talents, but also gave the staff the opportunity to deliver some valuable training on positive parenting.

The children enjoyed performing dances, reciting poems and rhymes and singing songs, all of which they have learnt during their time at the Centre. Once this was done, they enjoyed some fun activities while the staff delivered parenting sessions together with the local Child and Family Protection Officer.

This event was the first of its kind in the community and a great way for the team to begin to assess their impact. Parents engaged well and developed a thorough understanding of their roles and responsibilities in ensuring their children get the most out of attending the Centre.

Going on from here the parents will be fully participating in looking after the school. They will be helping with sports days, music events and festivals in the weeks and months to come. At the end of every year, parent and teachers will meet together to plan targets and assessments for the following year.

Programme Director, Edwin Wanabe said ‘It is vital that all the parents have ownership of the Centre right from the start. This is not our project, it is theirs, and it is them that will make sure that their children enjoy their education to the full. The parents were amazed at the talent they could see in their children, this inspires them to give their time and commitment to the Centre’.

Thousands of internally displaced people from Kachin State are facing freezing temperatures in the remote mountain areas where they have built settlements.

Surviving the cold at these high altitudes has become unbearable and our local partners have recently responded by distributing warm clothes such as trousers, coats, hats, socks and boots to each child and teacher at all of the 14 Early Childhood Development Centres we support here.

There were 534 sets of warmth clothes distributed in total, procured from Chinese markets on the other side of the border.

One grandmother of a child who received a set of clothes said, “My grandchild has been asking for socks and warm clothes since the winter advanced last month, but I could not afford to get any for him, and I felt extremely bad as he is in dire need of warm clothes. I am very thankful for your kind help on behalf of my grandchild, he is happy and feels secure now, and your assistance is very useful to us as you provide in a time of extreme need.”